WO2019179866A1

WO2019179866A1 - Power controller for controlling an electric machine in a vehicle trailer

Info

Publication number: WO2019179866A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/056382
Authority: WO
Inventors: Slawa Knorr
Original assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbh
Priority date: 2018-03-22
Filing date: 2019-03-14
Publication date: 2019-09-26
Also published as: US11866043B2; EP3768580A1; DE102018204391A1; AU2019237101A1; EP3768580B1; US20210031770A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a power controller (13) for controlling an electric machine (9) in a vehicle trailer (5). The electric machine (9) is coupled to at least one wheel (11) of the vehicle trailer (5) in order to allow a conversion of mechanical rotational power of the wheel (11) into electric power of the electric machine (9) and vice versa. The power controller (13) is configured so as to control a mechanical power output and/or a mechanical power consumption of the electric machine (9). The invention is characterized in that the power controller is configured so as to control the mechanical power output and/or the mechanical power consumption of the electric machine (9) depending on a current drive state of a towing vehicle (3) towing the vehicle trailer (5). For example, a draw bar (7) can be equipped with a deflection lever which normally actuates an overrun brake and the orientation of which can be measured using a sensor assembly in order to allow a conclusion to be drawn regarding the current drive state of the towing vehicle (3) or the entire towing vehicle/trailer combination (1).

Description

description

Power control device for controlling an electric machine in a vehicle trailer

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a power control device for controlling an electric machine in a vehicle trailer.

State of the art

Vehicle trailers such as caravans can from a

Towing vehicle to be pulled. The vehicle trailer often has its own power supply, for example in the form of a 12V battery, which is traditionally recharged by a power source such as a generator in the towing vehicle.

It has been proposed to provide a vehicle trailer with a more powerful power storage, for example in the form of a lithium-ion battery pack. In order to recharge this efficiently, can in the

Vehicle trailer to be provided an electric machine. This electric machine can act as a generator and be coupled to one or more wheels of the vehicle trailer to convert mechanical power into electrical power, so that the electric power can be used to charge the power storage. Optionally, the electric machine can also be used as a motor to using in the

Power storage of stored energy to power the vehicle trailer.

There may be a need for energy management in a vehicle trailer towed by a towing vehicle that is powered by an electric vehicle

KU: KU Machine and possibly a powerful energy storage is equipped to improve.

Disclosure of the invention

Against this background, the approach presented here becomes one

Power control device for controlling an electric machine in a vehicle trailer presented according to the independent claim. Advantageous developments and improvements of the approach presented here emerge from the description and are described in the dependent claims.

Advantages of the invention

Embodiments of the present invention may advantageously enable intelligent energy management in a vehicle combination, in particular, it may be possible to save the energy storage in one vehicle

To be able to reload vehicle trailer efficiently and / or intelligently by means of the electric machine or to be able to remove electrical energy according to the situation for driving the electric machine.

According to one aspect of the invention, a power control device according to the main claim, which is configured to a

control mechanical power output and / or mechanical power consumption of the electric machine in a vehicle trailer. The

Power control device is characterized in that it is configured to the mechanical power output and / or the mechanical

To control power consumption of the electric machine depending on a current driving condition of a tractor pulling the vehicle trailer.

Ideas for embodiments of the present invention may be considered, inter alia, as being based on the thoughts and findings described below.

So far, a provided in a vehicle trailer electrical

Machine operated normally, regardless of the driving condition in which the towing vehicle is currently located. On the one hand, however, the driving condition of the towing vehicle towing the vehicle trailer generally directly affects the driving condition of the vehicle trailer itself. For example, when the towing vehicle is being braked, the vehicle trailer runs up to a certain extent on the towing vehicle and is thereby braked, with additional brakes occurring in the vehicle

Vehicle trailers can be activated to assist the braking process.

On the other hand, the driving condition of the towing vehicle can often be easily measured or detected on the basis of measured variables correlating therewith. In the example mentioned, when the towing vehicle is braked by the emergence of the vehicle trailer, for example, a relative distance between changes

Towing vehicle and vehicle trailer. This change in the relative distance can be easily measured or detected. Alternatively, in the towing vehicle usually diverse electrical signals are generated anyway, which provide a conclusion about the current driving condition and thus can be used by the power control device for controlling the electric machine in the vehicle trailer.

For example, the vehicle trailer may have a drawbar for connection to the towing vehicle and for transmitting forces between the towing vehicle and the vehicle trailer. In this case, the power control device may have an electromechanical sensor arrangement which, depending on a force currently transmitted by the drawbar or depending on a current relative distance between the towing vehicle and the trailer, a sensor signal for controlling the mechanical

Power output and / or the mechanical power consumption of the electrical machine generates. In other words, the drawbar tensile forces or shear forces between the towing vehicle and the

Transfer vehicle trailer. The drawbar may change in length. A currently transmitted traction or a current relative distance between, for example, the center of gravity of the towing vehicle and the

Center of gravity of the vehicle trailer can be found using appropriate

electromechanical sensor arrangements are measured. Based on sensor signals of such sensor arrangements, the electric machine can then be appropriate to the situation with regard to its power output or power consumption, ie directly or indirectly depending on the current driving state of the vehicle Towing vehicle to be controlled.

To implement this, a lever may be provided on the drawbar, which is displaced depending on a relative distance between the towing vehicle and the trailer in different orientations. The sensor arrangement can generate the sensor signal depending on the current orientation of the reversing lever. In other words, a lever can be arranged on the drawbar, the example in the

Running the trailer is pivoted to the towing vehicle. The change in the orientation of the reversing lever can be easily measured with a sensor arrangement having an angle sensor. Accordingly, it can be detected when the towing vehicle is braked relative to the trailer and upon detection of such a change of the current driving state of the

Traction vehicle adapted to the power consumption of the electric machine to decelerate the trailer suitable and thereby recuperate energy.

At the reversing lever can act in this case a power transmission device, which causes a function of an orientation of the reversing lever a force on a brake of the vehicle trailer, by means of which a brake force caused by the brake is controlled. In other words, the bell crank may be a component of a conventional overrun brake in which the trailer runs on the towing vehicle with the aid of the

Umlenkhebels a power transmission device, for example in the form of a pull rope or a linkage is actuated to brakes the

To operate vehicle trailer. The sensor arrangement of

Power control device can thus be integrated in a simple manner in an already be provided on the drawbar of the trailer mechanism.

According to a specific embodiment, the power transmission device can be configured such that when the trailer hangs onto the towing vehicle, a braking force caused by the brake is generated only when the reversing lever has been reoriented at least to a minimum orientation angle. In this case, the sensor arrangement can generate the sensor signal smaller than the minimum orientation angle, depending on the current orientation of the reversing lever at orientation angles.

In other words, the reversing lever and the power transmission device of a overrun brake cooperating with it can be configured in such a way that when the trailer hangs on the towing vehicle, the brakes of the trailer are only actuated when the lever at least to the

Minimum orientation angle was pivoted. Although only a slight emergence of the trailer causes a small reorientation of the

Reversing lever, but this remains within a "blind spot" or game, within which still sufficient to activate the brakes force is effected via the power transmission device. It may be advantageous to use the sensor arrangement of the power control device in particular to measure current changes in the orientation of the reversing lever, as long as the orientation angle is smaller than the minimum orientation angle, that is, as long as the brakes of the trailer despite low creep on the

Towing vehicle not yet operated. In this way, a power consumption of the electric machine can be increased at an early stage, thereby decelerating the trailer largely synchronously with the towing vehicle and recuperating simultaneously released kinetic energy efficiently.

In this case, a damping element which transmits a force between the deflection lever and the force transmission device can be arranged between the deflection lever and the force transmission device. The damping element can in this case establish a mechanical coupling between the reversing lever and the power transmission device, which on the one hand substantially jerky changes in the power transmission between the trailer and the tractor passes directly to the power transmission device, whereas slow changes in such

Power transmission to be damped. This can be achieved on the one hand, that at a caused by the towing vehicle sudden strong

Brake operation, the brakes of the trailer are activated with the least possible delay, i.e., without, for example, that the lever should first shift by the minimum orientation angle. On the other hand, in a slowly initiated braking process, a displacement of the reversing lever caused when the trailer emerges can be detected and the recuperation by the electric machine in the trailer can be activated before the trailer's brakes would excessively decelerate it.

While in the embodiments explained above, the current driving state of the towing vehicle is detected on the basis of accompanying changes in the relative position between the towing vehicle and the trailer and thereby caused changes to the drawbar of the trailer Alternatively, it may also be provided to provide a data interface in the power control device via which control signals are to be received which are generated in the towing vehicle and which indicate information about the current driving state. In other words, control signals are usually generated in modern towing vehicles, by means of which the towing vehicle is controlled or which make it possible to draw conclusions about the current driving state of the towing vehicle. Such control signals can be generated, for example, when a brake pedal of the towing vehicle is actuated, when an accelerator pedal of the towing vehicle is actuated, when a driver assistance system influences the current driving state of the towing vehicle, etc. In the here

described power control device, a data interface may be provided, via which these control signals can be tapped and thus can be used by the power control device for controlling the power output of the electric machine.

In particular, the power control device may include a transmitter, which is to be coupled in the towing vehicle with a vehicle control unit and which generates based on signals from the vehicle control unit, the information about the current driving state and transmitted to the data interface of the power control device. Such a transmitter, for example in the form of a so-called dongle, in particular an OBD dongle, can pick up signals directly at the vehicle control unit with which it controls the current driving state of the towing vehicle. The transmitter can then transmit this information to the data interface of the power control device. For this purpose, a wired or preferably a wireless signal transmission can be used.

According to a specific embodiment, the vehicle control unit is configured to generate a brake actuation signal. In other words, the transmitter can be coupled to that vehicle control unit of the towing vehicle which registers, for example, that the brake pedal has been actuated and then generates a brake actuation signal. Such

Brake actuation signal can already be generated when the

Brake pedal is only slightly depressed so that while no significant braking effect is requested, but already brake lights of the towing vehicle are activated due to the brake actuation signal.

By tapping and transmitting the brake actuation signal to the Power control device, this can thus early control the electric machine for braking the trailer and recuperation.

In a further embodiment, the power control device may be configured to control the mechanical power output and / or the mechanical power consumption of the electrical machine depending on GPS data and / or navigation data relating to a travel path of the vehicle trailer. In other words, the power control device can use GPS data and / or navigation data in order to be able to derive from these conclusions about a currently prevailing driving state of the towing vehicle and then to be able to appropriately control the electric machine of the trailer. For example, from GPS data and / or

Navigation data can be seen that the combination is currently on a downgrade and the towing vehicle thus has to slow down the trailer. This information, which can be derived indirectly, can be used by the power control device to actively decelerate the trailer by means of the electric machine and thereby recuperate energy. Optionally, the trailer can even be braked so much by means of the electric machine that this also the towing vehicle is mitgebremst and its kinetic energy is also recuperated.

Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which neither the drawings nor the description are to be construed as limiting the invention.

1 shows a trailer with a towing vehicle and a vehicle trailer with a power control device according to an embodiment of the invention

Invention.

Fig. 2 shows components of a vehicle trailer with one on it

provided power control device according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 3 shows components of a vehicle trailer with one on it

provided alternative power control device according to another embodiment of the invention.

The figures are only schematic and not to scale. Like reference numerals in the figures designate the same or equivalent

Characteristics.

Embodiments of the invention

Fig. 1 shows a trailer 1 with a towing vehicle 3 and a

Vehicle Trailer 5. The vehicle trailer 5 is coupled via a drawbar 7 with the towing vehicle 3. In the vehicle trailer 5, an electric machine 9 is provided with at least one wheel 11 of the

Vehicle trailer 5 is mechanically coupled to convert rotational power to the wheel 11 in electrical power recuperating or conversely by receiving electrical power to drive the wheel 11. Recuperated energy can be stored, for example, in an energy store 10 such as a lithium-ion battery pack and removed from it as needed.

The electric machine 9 is controlled by a power control device 13 with regard to its power consumption.

According to the invention, the control of the electric machine 9 takes place taking into account a current driving state of the towing vehicle 3. In order to obtain information about the current driving state of towing vehicle 3, various measures can be implemented.

In a first approach, the drawbar 7 may be modified to obtain information relating to a relative position between the towing vehicle 3 and the trailer 5, or information concerning between these two transmitted forces.

For this purpose, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a deflecting lever 15 may be provided on the drawbar 7, which is pivoted when the trailer 5 comes to rest on the towing vehicle 3 due to the concomitant change in a current relative distance between towing vehicle 3 and trailer 5 and thus changes its orientation, as illustrated by the arrow 17. On the reversing lever 15, a sensor arrangement 19 is provided which generates a sensor signal depending on a current orientation of the reversing lever 15 and this, preferably wireless, to a data interface 21 of

Power control device 13 transmitted. The sensor signal thus indicates how strong the trailer 5 runs, for example when braking the towing vehicle 3 on the tractor 3 and thus is a measure of currently transmitted tensile forces or shear forces or a current relative distance between the

Towing vehicle 3 and the trailer 5.

The lever 15 may be part of a brake system of the trailer 5. Upon emergence of the trailer 5 on the towing vehicle 3 actuates the

Umlenkhebel 15 a power transmission device 23, for example in the form of a brake cable 27, so that depends on an orientation of the

Reversing lever 15, a force is applied to a brake 25 of the trailer 5, by means of which the braking force of the brake 25 is controlled.

The power transmission device 23 may in this case be configured such that the deflection lever 15 first has to be moved by a minimum orientation angle before the force transmission device 23 effects a braking force in the case of the brake 25. For example, the brake cable 27 may be slightly loose, so that the lever 15 must first overcome a game before the brake cable 27 is tensioned. The sensor arrangement 19 can also

Detecting orientation changes of the reversing lever 15, which are smaller than the minimum orientation angle. Thus, based on the sensor signals of the sensor arrangement 19, the power control device 13 can already drive the electric machine 9 to recuperate before the trailer 5 has significantly accumulated on the towing vehicle 3 and in particular before the brakes 25 of the trailer 5 are activated. Kinetic energy of the

Trailer 5 can thus be recuperated very efficiently.

In the example shown in fragmentary form in FIG. 3, a damping element 29 is additionally arranged between the reversing lever 15 and the brake cable 27 acting as a force transmission device 23. Due to this damping element 29, on the one hand, a mechanical connection between the reversing lever 15 and the brake cable 27 can always be given without play and thus the mechanical brake 25, for example in case of failure of the electrical system in the trailer 5, can intervene instantaneously. On the other hand can the lever 15 at slow onset delays of

Pulling vehicle 3 are easily pivoted without this would immediately lead to an actuation of the brake 25, so that the reorientation of

Deflection lever 15 detected by the sensor assembly 19 and the subsequently generated sensor signal for controlling the recuperation by the

Power control device 13 can be used.

In an alternative embodiment, as indicated in FIG. 1, the data interface 21 of the power control device 13 communicates with a transmitter 31 in the towing vehicle 3. The transmitter 31 is coupled to a vehicle control unit 33. The vehicle control unit 33 generates signals, such as a brake actuation signal, on the basis of which it is possible to deduce the current driving state of the towing vehicle 3. On the basis of such signals, the transmitter 31 can transmit suitable information to the power control device 13, so that it can control the power consumption or power output of the electric machine 9 in accordance with the situation.

Embodiments of possible embodiments of the invention will be explained again in partially different wording.

Vehicle trailers 5 like luxury trailers usually have their own 12 V battery. This battery is used in the decoupled state regardless of towing vehicle and shore power, i. in the context of a self-sufficient energy supply, to supply electrical consumers. These consumers are usually comfort consumers such as lighting and water pumps, but also movers for parking the trailer.

Caravans are conventionally supplied from the towing vehicle 3 while driving with electrical energy while recharging the battery. Solar cells are also used to reload the battery supportive. The batteries used are usually 12V lead-acid batteries. Of the

Energy content of these batteries is relatively low and therefore only enough for short autarkic phases. There is a standard 13-pin connector as an interface between trailer 5 and towing vehicle 3. This connector is also the battery recharged. This solution is designed for 12V and does not allow power transmission with a higher voltage level of eg 48V. In addition, the charging current for the 12V battery in the trailer is severely limited by the relatively small cable cross-sections. There are considerations to increase the voltage level of the batteries in the trailer, for example to 48V, with the aim of higher capacity and performance and / or to achieve low weight. As energy sources solar cells and wheel-driven electrical machines are discussed, which work as a generator during braking and thus can recharge the batteries.

The proposed here power control device is an efficient

Enable control of regenerative or motor power on wheel-driven generators.

First, a first implementation is explained:

Braked trailer 5 have on a drawbar 7, a pull rod which a brake lever 15 is actuated during braking, whereby a so-called clamping force on the brake cable 27 sets and the wheel brake 25 the

Trailer 5 brakes.

By attaching a sensor arrangement 19 with an angle sensor in the deflection point, that is, for example, on an axis of the reversing lever 15, an electrical sensor signal can be generated which depends, i. E. e.g. proportional, to a drawbar force.

The electrical sensor signal generated by the angle sensor is forwarded to a, preferably in the trailer 5, power control device 13, for example in the form of a control unit, and further processed there. The power control device 13 calculates therefrom a desired torque or a desired power and controls the electric machine 9 acting as a generator accordingly.

By decoupling the application force of the deflection (bias of the pull rope) in a certain small angular range below a

Minimum orientation angle, a certain idle travel can be generated. This Leerlaufweg is characterized in that at low

Deflection angles of the reversing lever 15, the wheel brake 25 is not operated directly. Ideally, this idle angle is used to exploit the power of the electric machine 9 as far as possible and thereby the excess kinetic energy when braking into electrical energy convert. The mechanical brake 25 should remain as inactive as possible and come only with full trailer battery 10 or high delays or failure of the electric machine 9 are used. This method allows an efficient use of the excess kinetic energy because it is not degraded mechanically as usual in the friction brake 25, but electrically recuperated.

An additional mechanical decoupling of the clamping force of the

Reversing lever 15 in the desired angular range can also be realized by incorporating a damper 29 such as a gas pressure damper or an oil pressure damper and / or a spring element. The proposed installation position is shown in Fig. 3. The advantage of this solution is that the mechanical connection remains and the mechanical brake 25 is available as a fallback when the electrical system fails.

The proposed principle can also be used for motor support. Here is the proposal to support the towing vehicle 3 via the built-in trailer 5 electric machine 9 at sufficiently high electrical power or to relieve. This can affect the performance

the electrical machine 9 are controlled, for example, by means of the angle sensor in the sensor assembly 19 so that no positive force in the direction of the towing vehicle via the drawbar 7, but the pull rod is always loaded on train and the trailer 5 is characterized only quasi "lighter" , This is made possible by the fact that when driving over the trailer 5, the angle sensor would provide a positive value, which is not desired in motor operation. As a result, the engine power would be reduced again. This principle has the advantage that the towing vehicle 3 can not be pushed by the trailer 5, which may be questionable for reasons of stability of the team 1.

The following is a second implementation:

In the above proposal has been described how the activity of the mechanical brake 25 on the trailer 5 can be avoided and excess kinetic energy can be electrically recuperated. A second step in the direction of increasing efficiency can be the activity of the mechanical brake on the towing vehicle 3 to reduce or completely avoided in certain driving situations.

One possible solution is to obtain further information from the towing vehicle 3, e.g. the brake signal to be incorporated into the system of the power control device 13. This can e.g. via a wireless OBD dongle, which is connected to an OBD socket of the towing vehicle 3 and sends the required signals to the power control device 13. This would have the advantage that the driver could trigger the recuperation in the trailer 5 via a slight actuation of the brake pedal in the towing vehicle 3, without the mechanical brake 25 already closing. Another example is the use of an accelerator pedal signal to avoid being accelerated

can be recuperated, but e.g. by means of the electric machine 9 in the trailer 5, the towing vehicle 3 is supported by a motor.

By using GPS and navigation data (e.g., destination), intelligent power management for the trailer 5 or even the entire trailer 1 can be realized.

Cross-team energy management can be realized by, e.g. with enough full trailer battery 10 the

Vehicle electrical system of towing vehicle 3 via a DCDC converter and the 13-pin connector can be supplied and the vehicle generator of

Towing vehicle 3 can thus be switched off.

Many different customer needs can be realized through various strategies such as "arriving as efficiently as possible" or "arriving with as much electrical energy as possible".

As a supplementary idea, it is proposed to have a wireless control or operating unit within reach of the driver, i. e.g. on the steering wheel, too

use. This control device should preferably be wireless

Signal transmission (e.g., Bluetooth, WLAN, or the like) with one on the trailer 5, e.g. communicate on the drawbar 7, mounted second unit, which is in turn electrically connected as an interface 21 to the power control device 13 for the electric machine 9. The functionality should resemble a retarder in a truck. That is, at an upcoming

Braking maneuvers, for example, on a long downhill, the driver can Recuperation of the trailer 5 in several stages manually

set / select. This has the advantage that not only the kinetic energy of the trailer 5, but also that of the towing vehicle 3 is available for the recuperation, the mechanical brake 25 is spared and the vehicle 1 is stabilized by the stretching action. A further advantage of the operating unit is that by integrating a visual display, the driver is informed about a current state of recuperation, a state of charge of the battery, etc.

can inform.

In summary, embodiments of the invention can enable effective recuperation of the excess kinetic energy into electrical energy since frictional losses of the mechanical brake 25 are minimized.

An inherent fallback level can be implemented if the regenerative power fails, as the mechanical solution continues to function. Embodiments can be implemented with little and cost integration effort, since, for example, a drawbar mechanism does not have to be changed or only very slightly. This here

Proposed principle can also be used for supporting or relieving the towing vehicle 3. Overall, a smart one

Energy management in the team 1 possible. This enables CO2 savings by supporting the vehicle electrical system and self-supply of the caravan.

Finally, it should be noted that terms such as "comprising," "comprising," etc., do not exclude other elements or steps, and terms such as "a" or "an" do not exclude a multitude. Reference signs in the claims are not to be considered as limiting.

Claims

claims

A power control device (13) for controlling an electric machine (9) in a vehicle trailer (5), wherein the electric machine (9) is coupled to at least one wheel (11) of the vehicle trailer (5) to provide rotational mechanical power to the wheel (11). 11) and electrical power to the electric machine (9) to be able to interconvert;

wherein the power control device (13) is configured to provide a mechanical power output and / or a mechanical power output

To control power consumption of the electrical machine (9);

characterized in that

the power control device (13) is configured to control the mechanical power output and / or the mechanical power consumption of the electric machine (9) as a function of a current driving state of a towing vehicle (3) pulling the vehicle trailer (5).

2. Power control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle trailer (5) has a drawbar (7) for connection to the towing vehicle (3) and for transmitting forces between the towing vehicle (3) and the

Vehicle trailer (5),

wherein the power control device (13) is an electromechanical

Sensor arrangement (19) which, depending on a force currently transmitted by the drawbar (7) or depending on a current relative distance between the towing vehicle (3) and the trailer (5), a sensor signal for controlling the mechanical power output and / or the mechanical power consumption the electric machine (9) generated.

3. Power control device according to claim 2, wherein a deflection lever (15) is provided on the drawbar (7), which depends on a

Relative distance between the towing vehicle (3) and the trailer (5) is shifted in different orientations, wherein the sensor arrangement (19), the sensor signal depending on the current orientation of the

Reversing lever (15) generated.

4. Power control device according to claim 3, wherein on the reversing lever (15) a power transmission device (23) acts, which depends on an orientation of the reversing lever (15) causes a force on a brake (25) of the vehicle trailer (5), by means of which by the brake (25) caused braking force is controlled.

5. A power control device according to claim 4, wherein the

Power transmission device (23) is configured such that when a vehicle trailer (5) to the towing vehicle (3) only one of the brake (25) caused braking force is generated when the reversing lever (15) has been reoriented at least to a minimum orientation angle , and wherein the sensor arrangement (19) generates the sensor signal at orientation angles smaller than the minimum orientation angle as a function of the current orientation of the reversing lever (15).

6. Power control device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein between the reversing lever (15) and the power transmission device (23) a

Damping element (29) is arranged, which transmits a force damped between the reversing lever (15) and the power transmission device (23).

7. A power control device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the power control device (13) has a data interface (21) via which control signals are to be received, which in the

Towing vehicle (3) are generated and which provide information about the current driving condition.

8. A power control device according to claim 7, wherein the

Power control device (13) comprises a transmitter (31) which is in the towing vehicle (3) to be coupled to a vehicle control unit (33) and which generates based on signals from the vehicle control unit (33) the information about the current driving state and to the

Data interface (21) of the power control device (13) transmitted.

9. A power control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the

Vehicle control unit (33) generates a brake actuation signal.

A power control device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the power control device (13) is configured to control the mechanical power output and / or the mechanical power output Power consumption of the electrical machine (9) depending on GPS data and / or navigation data concerning a guideway of the

To control vehicle trailer (5).